Benefits of Whole-Body Cryotherapy

Whole body cryotherapy uses a cold chamber to provide cryotherapy to your whole body simultaneously. Socks, gloves, and underwear protect your extremities and sensitive bits, while you experience extreme cold temperatures for two to four minutes. It has been used for some time for muscle recovery and pain relief, but people are beginning to realize it has many more benefits.

Benefits of Whole-Body Cryotherapy

The biggest benefit of cryotherapy is that it reduces inflammation. The more we learn, the more we understand that inflammation is a major driver of disease and dysfunction in the body. It is not only linked to pain, but also to a variety of health conditions. Taking steps to reduce inflammation may help improve long-term health outlooks. Cryotherapy does not just treat inflammation during the session. While vessel constriction may provide short-term relief from inflammation, the real benefit is that the body releases more anti-inflammatories after a cryotherapy session. In addition, the effects are cumulative.

Cryotherapy has been used to help reduce pain since people could first harness the power of ice. Cold temperatures numb away pain. In whole body cryotherapy, these benefits may last beyond the cryotherapy session and lead to long-term pain reduction. The combination of pain relief and inflammation reduction may even increase joint mobility in some people.

Because cryotherapy reduces pain and inflammation, it may be able to help you recover faster. People have been using cryotherapy to treat injuries, but muscle building actually involves creating microtears in your muscles. If cold therapy can help heal those microtears sooner, then your recovery goes more quickly, leading to enhanced performance.

Cryotherapy and Mental Health

It may surprise you to learn that cryotherapy may even help with mental health and chronic conditions such as fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis. Scientists do not fully understand the mechanics. However, when your core body temperature drops, your body releases hormones like norepinephrine. Once you get out of the chamber, your blood vessels expand, releasing anti-inflammatory proteins into the blood. It is possible that cryotherapy may also influence your body’s release of other natural mood regulators or alter your perception of pain.

One of the top questions people ask is if there are any potential negative side effects from cryotherapy. Though they are rare, sometimes people do experience negative side effects. Some people have experienced problems breathing and increased blood pressure. Prolonged exposure could also lead to frostbite. If you experience anything alarming in the cryo chamber, you should immediately notify your attendant.

Want to find out more and see if cryotherapy is right for you? Contact Cryolete today. One of our representatives would be happy to answer any questions you may have.